Madhuri Dixit on returning to comedy with Total Dhamaal, and reuniting with Anil Kapoor and Indra Kumar

Besides boasting of a hilarious script that made actress Madhuri Dixit laugh for hours, Total Dhamaal was a film which Madhuri simply could not have said no to, for many reasons.

A still from Total Dhammal trailer. YouTube

While it gave her an opportunity to recreate the '80s magic with her favourite co-star Anil Kapoor once a, the film also presented her an opportunity to work with Ajay Devgn after more than a decade. Lastly, it allowed her a chance to work under the baton of Indra Kumar, with whom she shares a 100 per cent track record at the box office, with Dil, Beta and Raja — all huge blockbusters. “I have worked with Indu ji before and this is my 18th film with Anil, if I am not mistaken. It was wonderful coming back together with such lovely people because the synergies are the same. It’s also a sort of comedy where you let your hair down and I have not done that in a while. With Ajay, I had done a very serious film in the past but this is just the opposite. The film has many scenes where we all are making fun of each other,” says Madhuri.

The actress also reveals that more than the actual shots, the time spent between the shots was far more fun as everyone was either cracking up with laughter or narrating a joke. One flip side of the ‘multiple reunion’ could also be that it might also bring in an element of fatigue as far as audiences’ reactions are concerned. “Luckily, our past record has been very good, and judging by the reaction to the trailer and songs, it seems that it has pleased people. The past record helped us actually and even after 18 years while doing the takes, it was all good,” clarifies Madhuri.

The 'Dhak Dhak' girl plays a Maharashtrian in the film and is married to a Gujarati, played by Anil. But Total Dhamaal will present a side of the two which is miles away from what they are best known for. “Usually, people have seen us pining for each other in films and singing songs like 'Keh Do Ki Tum Ho Meri Warna', but in this film, we both are at loggerheads with each other. We play an unhappy married couple and are almost on the brink of a divorce,”she says.

Khel, Hum Aapke Hain Koun and Jamai Raja were films which showcased Madhuri’s comedy streak but filmmakers, by and large, failed to exploit her talent to the fullest. Total Dhamaal might just change the equation. The actress discloses that she enjoys comedy as a genre, and both slapstick and subtle humour appeal to her in equal measure. “It’s easy to make people cry but to make them laugh is very tough. Ask any stand-up comedian and he will tell you. When they do stand-up comedy, the audience is right there in front of them and if they don’t react to the gigs, then it all falls flat. On the contrary, if you are crying and even if nobody is reacting, it's okay because you are not expected to.” She adds she enjoys both slapstick and subtle brands of humour. “I enjoy both Charlie Chaplin and Hrishi da’s (Hrishikesh Mukherjee) sense of humour in equal measure. There is an art required for slapstick whereas the writing has to be extremely good for tongue-in-cheek sort of humour. They both have to be performed well as they both are different forms of acting."